The Truth Hurts
by Pokerfacedcat
Summary: After resurrection and return, Damian Wayne had questions that demands to be answered. What has happened to Grayson? Follows DC52 for the most part
1. Finding out

Damian awoke to the feeling of someone staring at him, tt of course.

Father, he was there sitting close to the bed. Contemplating everything he went through to bring the boy back, maybe also seeing proof it all had happened. Whatever the case, Damian would really rather sleep in peace and not worry about whatever the man could be worrying over.

Footsteps, Bruce finally decided to leave the boys side, perhaps to finally return to work or do whatever billionaire vigilantes do in their spare time. Nonetheless Damian was relieved, getting out of bed with ease and beginning his morning routine, he had much questions of what had gone on during his.. Leave. Calling it death felt a little surreal, sure he endured the pain and could even remember the feel of the blade plunging into him, but now? He could feel, he could live and that's all that matters. Calling it a death would be wrong because today he was breathing and capable of doing as he wished. Maybe he wanted to begin looking to the future instead of dwelling on the past. Maybe Grayson's 'lessons' and way of life were affecting him more than he had originally thought. The boy was reveling in memories of Grayson, now that he realized he hadn't heard from the man since well, before his 'leave'. A knock on the door, single and precise, but with not much force behind it. Pennyworth.

"Master Damian, breakfast is ready and waiting at the table"

Arriving to the table, the boy felt a headache coming on. Sitting there was none other than Jason fucking Todd and Tim bitching Drake along with his Father. Grayson wasn't there, dealing with the other two would be more irritating than ever now.

"To what do we owe this unpleasant surprise?" Damian gruffly stated, eyes narrowed and jaw set.

"Actually-" Jason drawled, casually pointing a fork towards the boy while still chewing on a strip of bacon that was quite literally hanging halfway from his mouth

"We were invited here from daddy dearest, both replacement and I"

Damian did not like the tone of his voice and the way he drew out his words, his response lacked actual bite to it. Thinking it over, Todd hadn't actually insulted him or attempted to provoke action. Something was off. He glared at the older boys, taking in their appearances. Jason always looked rough and haggard in one way or another, but Tim looked haggard as well this time around. Sure being apart of the Bats crusade did it's toll, but Tim prioritized and was able to put up a facade of being fine and okay. Seeing him this down looking only increased the feeling of wrong that had taken hold of the boy. But what could have-

"Damian, are you feeling uh.. well?" Tim asked, his voice a little quiet, doing nothing to push the feeling down.

"Fantastic, my head hurts and my body feels out of place. I've many questions and would appreciate you answering those instead of talking about our feelings"

Stern look from Father, Jason and Tim looked taken aback. But only for a moment, Jason's poker face looked more angry than calm. Tim's reminded him of a dumbfounded child. Realizing no one would start, he asked the most obvious question, maybe it all started with this. And also was at the core of why he felt everything was off.

"Where's Grayson? Too busy with his charity circus?"

Damian knew calling the amusement park Dick had been running by that was childish and cruel, but he was hurt that the man hadn't come to see him yet. He had thought Grayson would at least miss him a little, or at least pretend to.

Jason clenched his fist a little, no longer bothering with the food laid out in front of him. At a lost of words and clouded mind he glanced over to Tim who, like him, looked quite speechless. It was a question they did not want to face, the reality of it too hard to bear.

"Damian.."

Bruce started, understanding how the words would hurt his youngest but also realizing that keeping it from him any longer would only result in more pain.

"Dick isn't coming back, he didn't make it. I didn't make it"

Bruce's voiced turned colder by the syllable, as soon as he finished he was out of his seat and headed out of the room.

Damian knew his Father wouldn't joke so he laughed, it wasn't out of humor but rather of harsh judgement. It was ridiculous, Dick Grayson could not die. Jason spoke up, sounding gruff

"Look kid, it's hard on all of us okay? This isn't just a dream or some shit we'd make up, Dicks dead. D-E-A-D and not like you and me, all thanks to that Luthor fuck"

He too got up and left, stormed out really. Tim looked down, avoiding Damian's gaze.

"I'm not sure of what has gotten into Father and Todd, but I'm not foolish enough to believe that of Grayson. Not now, not ever. Don't you dare try to convince me"

Tim sighed, standing up he turned slightly away and went for the door. Before he could walk out he looked at the boy from over his shoulder

"Look him up, see for yourself"

With that he was gone. Good riddance. Damian had no answers and was only further perturbed. He left the table, hadn't even eaten a bite. There were simply more important matters at hand.

Entering his room he walked over to his laptop opening it as quickly as he could. Opening whatever browser was closest in his reach, and typing up 'Richard Dick Grayson' feeling numb, his doubts were withering. Sure enough it was true. He was the fool and it was all true. Expect the unexpected, Dick believed in that motto and it only hurt more to think of it.

Falling to the floor of his desk, clutching his hair back, grinding his teeth to feel, or rather to not. He hated crying, hated to see others cry. Not because of empathy but out of disgust. It was a sign of weakness and showed the person had no control over their emotions. But in this moment he couldn't control them. It angered him more, standing up he threw his laptop into the wall. watching it shatter and fall, he could only relate.

hi! Um it's been like a year or more and I hadn't actually thought I would return, but here I am! Hopefully to stay for a bit (;


	2. Father

Damian was above childish acts, or so he liked to believe. But at the moment he was stomping his way down to the cave, scowl in place and fists clenched.

"Father-"

Damian addressed in a cold and quiet tone standing not too far behind a seated Batman without his cowl. The man did not turn, he took a deep breath and got up.

"Follow me"

It was a demand, an order. Damian was only angered further at being treated so childishly. Still he followed, he had much on his mind and a lot to discuss. Both he and Bruce stood before the original Robin suit, before a symbol of a legacy. The younger could already feel tears building up, he looked to his father.

"Wh-why are we here"

He stuttered, tripped over his words with a too quiet tone. Weakness.

"To remember everything that R stands for"

Bruce stated, stoic as ever. Damian hated it. He hated that even after everything, all the slip ups of feeling and loyalty to the family the man before him could still generalize the death of his oldest as something apart of a damn legacy. He couldn't stand for that, didn't even want to hear whatever else could spew from the man's mouth.

"Father, that's not right. Grayson is more than that suit, he was an actual person. He is an actual person. He was a fool. A fool that loved too much and cared too deeply, he was happy and compassionate. And he trusted me, when even you didn't. So don't you act as though he's nothing more than a memory of what he had been. He's outgrown it in every sense and he's more than that legacy. He's a son, a friend, a brother. Just don't"

It felt unlike him, and maybe it was. He had much more he had wanted to say and not as nicely either. But for now that will do, he left his father to his thoughts. He still had more answers to obtain, perhaps Todd and Drake could help for once

sorry its shorter! But I'm gonna try to consistently update this weekly (hopefully haha) hope you liked this chapter! Next will have Jason and Tim and maybe Barbara and some other characters (:


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